Ah, Yes……the name alone conjures up images of wizards and warriors, centaurs and ligors. While Yes will be remembered as a band that put a tremendous amount of effort into creating their own mystical universe of (often lame) prog-rock possibilities, they seem to be enjoying a rather modest relevancy upswing in contemporary experimental and underground music these days (even Pitchfork gives a partial nod to some of their stuff). Perhaps the reason that some of their work can be considered worthy of discussion today is because Yes were not a band of songs or albums, but one of moments. Despite their unimaginable capacity for lameness (they wrote a 20 minute song based on Tolstoy’s War and Peace for fuck's sake) Yes possessed the ability to compose incredibly beautiful and interesting music that shouldn’t be ignored or entirely dismissed as laughably ironic fodder.
Before we proceed, I should say that I know very little about the incarnation of Yes that may or may not be touring as we speak, but for the purposes of this entry I will continue to refer to them in the past tense. Yes' influence on modern day critical darlings has been well documented (Sigur Ros, Radiohead, Akron Family), and many of the hipper than shit bands that bloggers often rave about clearly continue to experiment with structure,meter, melody and harmony in ways similar to what Yes was doing way back when. But whether or not they realize it, the more today's bands push the envelope, the more they run the risk of being compared to progressive rock, or more crudely put, “Prog Rock."
And just what the hell is “Prog Rock” anyway? Progressive Rock has evolved into a muddled, distorted concept that seems to have even less meaning than it once did. After all, how exactly does one define“progress” in art or music? I’m not trying to be facetious here either... just think about it. The lamest of all “Prog Rock” wankers (Dream Theatre, Rush) may in fact view their musical progress much the same way that a fascist would admire Michaelangelo’s work for simply being more anatomically correct than more "inferior" works... in other words, the antithesis of the concept of "progress" by most modern measures of the term.
At last week's Chief Death Rage show, I was reminded once again of how some prog elements are making their way into the music scene and gaining relevance amongst more forward thinking musicians. Although quite a bit more heavy than anything Yes ever produced, CDR’s songs swayed back and forth in between stop time riffs, subtle half step modulations and wild rhythm changes, all of which were executed with the acute precision of, well, a prog rock band. Take Rush’s “Cygnus X-1” and Black Sabbath’s, “Black Sabbath” and your somewhere close……I think. The truth is that “Progressive Rock” becomes an outdated term when you consider the high level of experimentation going on in the areas of song structure, rhythm and sonic texture today. The traditional “progressive”definition could possibly encompass a gaggle of artists too broad to be lumped together, rendering it all but useless. As the musical universe expands outward, the word “progressive” will become increasingly irrelevant and silly, and this is probably for the best.
Having said that, Yes were the quintessential pioneers of original “progressive”music, whatever it might mean, so we should probably take a closer look at a few Yes moments that somehow distinguish themselves from the lunacy of the band's overarching collective persona. UNT jazz school drop out stoner kids, eat your heart out.
First, let’s go over some rules before listening to Yes music:
1) Ignore the lyrics, they’re complete shit 2) Ignore the song titles, they're beyond pretentious 3) Ignore any and all roman numeral demarcations for their“compositions”……sigh 4) Pay attention to the production, its usually stellar for its time period and sounds great on vinyl
And now, the top 3 Yes moments:
1) Starship Trooper: 4:14 to 5:00- This is Yes at their pinnacle, with great harmonies and a bassline melody that compliments the vocals. The drums almost emphasize melody more than rythm, which is an early Yes staple. Keep listening, this song has a wild conclusion with dueling stereo guitar solos and Bonhamesque bass drum triplets! MP3
2) Heart of the Sunrise: 0:30 to 2:03- Maybe one of the most dramatic build-ups in rock music history. This song will be immediately recognizable to anyone who has seen Buffalo 66. I'm not sure what kind of keyboards they used for this track, but they sound brilliant. MP3 (this is the right one now)
3) South Side of the Sky: 5:50 to end- The guitar and bass riffs are killer. Easily the heaviest song Yes ever wrote, and one of their best. MP3
(This is Howard Bob Johnson's first post for WSJR, and he will be a regular contributor covering everything from local music to Dream Theater's fashion choices.)-SR
As you can see, we're really late with this thing today, so I'll be very short and you'll have to deal with it. We've got a feature post coming a bit later this evening, so keep an eye out for that if you wanna:
As usual, hip hop at the Slip Inn, 80's with DJ G at Hailey's, and Zoo video DJ at the Cavern.
Teenage Symphonyis playing at Dada tonight with a soft rock/indie pop line up that I can't really say anything nice about (Rahim Quazi, The Antiques, The Felons), so my advice would be to proceed with caution.
And thats all I got for you right now. See you later this evening.
In my short post about Dead Echoes yesterday, I referred to Zanzibar Snails' music as "free jazz," which prompted one of the band members to quickly reject the label in a comment thread. My initial reaction was indifference (I guess they can call themselves whatever they want, I thought), but after I pondered it for a couple of minutes, I realized that my use of the term might have been a bit lazy and overreaching, even though I wasn't exactly sure what to expect from a band that I hadn't experienced in person. After finally getting to see Zanzibar Snails perform at the House of Tinnitus last night, however, I am now completely sure that the term "free jazz" doesn't describe their music at all, and the only real link I can find between them and Ornette Coleman is a saxophone. Last night's Dead Echoes fest at House of Tinnitus was full of surprises like that, and it was honestly one of the better local shows I've seen this year.
Despite what some of the anon comment posters seem to think, I'm not really the biggest "noise" or "drone" guy in the world. Sure, there are many free form and ambient electronic groups that I like, and I probably listen to a lot more "noise" than your average indie dude on Blog Street. But as I've said before, some of my interest in that music is more theoretical than experience oriented, and quite frankly, I often find a lot of it to be lacking in anything truly compelling or profound on either level. Of course, this isn't to say that even subpar noise doesn't have some sort of value outside of how one normally values rock or pop music, its just that a lot of it doesn't hit me where I want it to, conceptually or otherwise.
This is why visiting the House of Tinnitus last night was such a pleasure. Right off the bat, I think it should be said that there didn't seem to be any kind of pretentious holier than thou vibe to be found anywhere on the property, despite what some people would have you believe. Spending just a few minutes in the middle of the respectably sized and good natured crowd that we encountered last night was enough to reveal what is really going on in various corners of Denton: relaxed, intelligent and fun groups of people putting on good shows, enjoying one another's company, and passively not giving a shit what people on blogs think about them. If anything, the energy that we encountered at House of Tinnitus was healthier and more welcoming than that which exists at many of the venues we've visited around town in recent months, and I was glad to see it.
The music we heard once we settled in was consistently provocative, decidedly forward thinking, and often innovative. My idea of what Zanzibar Snails would be like completely changed within the first minute or two of their performance, which started off with a low hum of keyboards and guitars before slowly and gracefully building up to several points of soaring frenzy with doses of sharp, heavy saxophone holding everything together. The sax was incredibly well played and almost always front and center throughout the performance, but it was really only a small part of the mood and atmosphere that the band created, mixing jagged, noisy guitar bursts with thick layers of ghostly, trance inducing sound swirls that certainly took anyone who was paying attention on a ride that was constantly rising and falling and rising again. It seemed that as soon as they locked into any kind of pattern or groove, they would abruptly and appropriately move things forward with the slash of a guitar or a pause for space to creep in, celebrating their ability to throw you off guard while regaining your attention an instant later. The constant back and forth resulted in a genuinely satisfying set that was intense but surprisingly organic and easy to digest.
After their pleasurable but draining performance, we were happy to discover that OVEO packed a punch equally powerful but slightly more hypnotic, spacey and lush. With a nearly constant electronic drum beat serving as a pattern forming and repetitive background, Oveo crafted dark, glacial waves of buzzing electro noise that didn't invite you to listen as much as force you to hear, allowing the music to control the room and be absorbed into the audience while taking a life of its own. As they got deeper into their set, a complexity and cohesiveness that we hadn't heard in their previous work with You Are the Universe made itself quite apparent, as the group displaying its ability to properly utilize repetition while dancing around thinly layered rhythms with a tape machine to keep things interesting and ever-expanding, invading the subconscious while also putting on a show. Paul Baker's strong and surreal visuals also worked their magic throughout all the sets we saw, effectively playing to the music and sometimes taking a life of their own.
Noise rock isn't for everyone, and you can expect an outright rejection of this music to continue in some circles around town no matter how good these guys get. But the strong performances we witnessed last night (including a part of PD Wilder's excellent set) and the excitement surrounding them were refreshing in a way that few other experiences in local music have been this year. These bands aren't going to slap you across the face with something that you can jam out to at any time in any place. Instead, it seems that the performers and audience members in attendance at House of Tinnitus last night were there to create and consume music (and beer) that is meant to be enjoyed in a manner that simply doesn't have anything to do with most rock music, approaching the listening experience inside out, upside down, and every which way but conventionally. This fact isn't good or bad in and of itself, its just different, and there are a lot of musicians and cliques in the area that could only hope to have as much fun as the House of Tinnitus folks were having last night. I'd even be willing to wager that if some of the haters around here attended the next Tinnitus show with an open mind, they too might find many of the pleasant surprises we did. The term "free jazz" probably wouldn't even come up on the ride back to Dallas.
Jesus, its already November. I can't believe how fast this year has gone by. I also can't believe how fast this day has gone by, which is why the list is going to be short today. We're trying to hammer out some stuff that WILL be posted this afternoon and evening, so stay tuned for that. Anyway, tonight:
Beck's show at Gypsy Tea Room is sold out, so if you don't have a ticket, I wouldn't bother giving a shit if I was you.
Metro, with DJs Nicole and Laureen, will be happening upstairs at the Cavern.
Adrian Belewis a name that a lot of people around here probably know, but one that a lot of people at large probably don't. In case you aren't familiar with him, he's a fantastic guitarist who has played (and written) with Bowie, Talking Heads, King Crimson and Frank Zappa. To be honest, I don't know much about the work he is doing these days, and I simply don't have time to do any research on it right now. What I do know is that he is playing at the Granada tonight, and it might be good.
If this video of our spineless, incompetent piece of filth president trying to start a false controversy doesn't inspire you to go out and vote for ANYONE other than Republicans this year, then I don't know what will. For that asshole to pretend for one second that he cares about the troops or is "on their side" is positively infuriating. Troops in Iraq are dying on the battlefield as I write this, and Bush, Rove and Snow are talking about this. It looks like the Matt Drudge bullshit machine is trying one last time to generate some sort of outrage that will help the failures in the Republican Congress keep their jobs. Lets make sure it doesn't work, even if voting for liberals in Texas is typically an exercise in futility.
Dead Echoes (House of Tinnitus- 628 Lakey St. Denton FREE, Keg, BYOB) Getting kicked off around 7pm tonight, Dead Echoes will feature Venison Whirled, Ethereal Planes Indian, Zanzibar Snails, PD Wilder, OVEO, and a performance from a mystery artist going by the name S.D.S. All of these band are noisy, spaced out, and experimental, and it seems that their performances might provide just the right soundtrack for Halloween. Lots of dark feedback, drone, and formless noise for your mind to do whatever it pleases with them. If you're planning on some "mind expansion" for the holiday tonight, this show will be at least a "must stop by" if you're up Denton way. Zanzibar Snails featues members of iDi Amin and Notes from Underground (a band that apparently likes to stir up some shit. good for them), and OVEO features members of the You Are the Universe. We are particularly looking forward to the dark tribal noise trance of Ethereal Planes Indians and the free jazz of Zanzibar Snails. The entire show will feature visuals by Paul Baker, who has worked with Sub Oslo and at this summer's Strategies of Beauty.
The Angelus | History at Our Disposal | Small Sails (Dan's Denton) We're big fans of the Angelus as you probably already know, and as a bonus, the two bands they are playing with tonight sound pretty decent too. Particularly, Small Sails could be a great live band. Mixing parts folk, post-rock, indie pop and space, their songs are sugary and easy to listen to but structurally interesting and far from cookie cutter. Unfortunately, we haven't really heard or seen History at Our Disposal as of yet, but the little we were able to listen to on the Myspace page today sounded fairly solid, with bits of Radiohead, Bedhead and bands like Broken Social Scene and Arcade Fire thrown in the mix.
Lost Generation with Wanz and Gabriel (Cavern) Here is what the guys have for tonight:
"Gabriel's Message: Joining Wanz for some Halloween fun tonight! Spooky track s by Son House, Nina Simone, Nick Cave, Misfits, Ennio Morricone and others. Throwing down tracks by White Drugs, Lithium X-Mas, Silk Stocking and others from The LoillipopShoppe Benefit Comp as well. Prizes for the best costume, and like always no cover.
Wanz's Message:Old Stuff: Assorted Halloween trax, Slayer, Pop Group, Teenage Jesus and The Jerks, Howlin Wolf, Theoretical Girls, Tom Ze, The Factory Press, Sonic Youth(Bad Moon Rising)New Stuff:Bellmer Dolls, Kode 9, Burial, Pressure featuring Warrior Queen, Wolf Eyes, Ellen Allien, Battles(Live)Spinning with Gabriel is always a blast. I believe we are gonna be downstairs tonight. I am not certain of that, but pretty sure. This is my fourth gig in 5 days and I am ready to go out with a bang. Happy Halloween!!!!!!!"
Minus the Bear | P.O.S. | The Velvet Teen | Russian Circles (Hailey's) Get there early to see Chicago's Russian Circles, who just recorded an EP of solid, progressive leaning metal/post-hardcore at Electrical Audio. Velvet Teen and Minus the Bear I could really do without, to be honest (listen to VT's "steadman spray" on their myspace page. If I hear one more song that starts like that, I'm going to cry), but P.O.S. is a hip hop act featuring an MC that sounds quite a bit like Tribe's Phife Dawg, which is something I suppose. Maybe leans a bit too far towards emo hip hop for my taste, but some good beats should make it a good time.
Well, I think I only have the stomache for like one more of these band tribute things, but the one going on at 1919 Hemphillin Ft. Worth tonight might be worth your time, as you can watch The Wankersas Operation Ivy, C.R.A.T.T. as Dead Kennedys, The Dead Ramones as Screeching Weasel, half of Druids on Paradeas Black Flag, and part of Best Fwends as Atom and His Package. A bunch of these bands appear to have been put together just for this show, and one of them isn't even covering a good band (Screeching Weasel has permission to blow me), but I bet it will be a good time overall. We're looking forward to the Black Flag, DK and Opiv sets in particular. Operation Ivy: the closest thing to tolerable ska that has been produced in the past twenty years. As usual with Hemphill, stuff gets started early, around 7pm.
A rotating cast of mostly talented local jazz musicians will be doing their thing at the Amsterdam Bartonight as well.
This weekend, we had the chance to catch a cool light/sound installation at Treewave's And/Or Gallery. It was the first time we had ever spent more than a second or two at the corner of Peak and Bryan St., and it seems as though that little neighborhood really has some potential to turn into something interesting. Its in the middle of a part of town that really needs something good to happen in it, to say the least, and the surroundings and available space in the vacinity appear to be a blank canvas, especially when you consider that rent in that part of town probably isn't too obscene just yet. There is a lot of pre-existing space for more gallerys, bars and plenty of other things that could be welcome additions to the neighborhood, and the central location should be appealing to just about anyone that lives in the downtown/uptown/east side area. Its one of the few spaces immediately east of downtown that is compact, attractive and open enough to have any character at all, and I hope more potential business owners take notice of it. There are already a couple of restaurants over there, and the corner just has an inviting atmosphere to it, which is something that we hadn't noticed until we stood on it drinking free beer.
